LANDO Norris joked about “brake-testing” his rivals at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, referencing the bizarre collision between title challengers Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton last time out. 

Red Bull Racing’s Verstappen, 24, received a 10-second time penalty at last weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah after race stewards found he predominantly caused a collision by braking ‘suddenly and erratically’.

Verstappen was told by his team to “strategically” allow Hamilton, 36, to pass him after Red Bull received the order from race control.

Hamilton said he was not aware he was being handed the position and clipped the back of Verstappen’s car when the Dutchman applied the brakes.

At yesterday’s press conference for members of print media, Norris, 22, was asked how he would try and beat Charles Leclerc, who sits four points ahead of him in the Drivers’ World Championship with one race remaining.

The Glastonbury racer joked: “Try brake-testing him! That’s only a 10-second penalty.”

Despite the damage caused to his front wing, Hamilton set the fastest lap of the race at the sport’s first-ever race in Saudi Arabia and took the chequered flag as Verstappen fell back to protect his tyres.

Verstappen finished in second – despite two time penalties totalling 15 seconds – setting up this weekend’s title decider at Yas Marina as the title challengers enter the race level on points.

Discussing his and McLaren’s chances, Norris said: “We were pretty good here last year; it was one of our better weekends. I think we were only two-tenths off of pole.

“It doesn’t mean we’re going to be even better than that this year because the track’s changed quite a bit, and also the cars.

“But this track tends to be reasonably good for us, so hopefully this weekend it can be the same.”

Read more: Lando Norris: Why the McLaren driver’s first F1 win is just around the corner 

Read more: Lando Norris urges Pirelli to ‘make the tyres better’ after Qatar GP puncture

The Abu Dhabi circuit has been changed since F1 last visited the UAE in 2020 to try and encourage more overtaking opportunities and faster racing around a more flowing track.

“I walked the track this morning,” said Norris.

“I’ve also been in the simulator a fair amount as well, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s something different, something exciting, and slightly higher speed than it has been the last couple of years.

“Hopefully there will be some better racing, some easier chances to follow and get past, and so on.”

Norris is approaching the end of his third full season in F1 – and he believes it has been his best yet.

He has scored 154 points so far this season in 22 races. 

He scored 97 points in 17 races in last season's shortened calendar, and 49 points in 21 races in his debut season (2019).  

He said: “I’m very happy, it’s obviously been my most successful year so far with some podiums, the one-two as a team for us in Monza, and my first pole position in Formula 1.

“I think I’ve achieved a lot, and I think I’ve done well for the team and been there for the team when we’ve had those chances to be on the podium, score points, and bring that fight to Ferrari for as long as possible, although they’ve crept a little bit too far ahead, possibly."

Ferrari hold a 38.5-point advantage over McLaren in the race for third place in the Constructors’ World Championship, making it very unlikely that the Woking-based team will match their impressive 2020 season by clinching third.  

Despite this, he added: “I think from my side and for us as a team, it’s been a very good year and we should be happy with what we’ve done.”  

In free practice one and two today, Norris set the twelfth and thirteenth-fastest times respectively. 

Norris's McLaren teammate Daniel Ricciardo is eighth in the Drivers' World Championship after a difficult debut season at the Papaya team, despite achieving his first race win since leaving Red Bull ahead of the 2019 season.